Day after, no panic buying, Chandigarh roads witness less traffic

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 20

A day after panic buying by residents in various sectors in the city over rumours of lockdown for enforcing social distancing in view of the Covid-19 spread, markets witnessed a moderate rush today.

Tricity roads witnessed less traffic today with people preferring to stay indoors and only coming for important work.

Anil Sharma, a resident of Sector 27, said he went to the grain market in Sector 26 yesterday, but had to return without purchasing anything in view of heavy rush at provision stores, but today the situation was totally different as there was hardly any rush and no panic buying.

Satish Aggarwal, owner of a grocery store, said frightened residents went on a panic-buying spree yesterday, but today, the footfall was quite less in comparison to yesterday.

Digvijay Kapoor, president of the Shopkeepers Association, said there was no shortage of food items and there was a regular supply of fruits and vegetables in the mandi.

However, despite a ban on retail selling in the main grain market, retail vendors continued to sell their vegetables and fruits to customers as usual. As a preventive measure, shopkeepers of various markets have voluntarily decided to close down their establishments on Saturday and Sunday. Shopkeepers at Shastri Market in Sector 22 pulled their shutters down around 4 pm and the market will remain closed till Monday. The electronics and mobile repair market in Sector 22 in front of the bus stand in Sector 17 will also remain closed.

Narender Singh, president of the Sector 19 booth market association, said the market would remain closed for two days on Saturday and Sunday over Covid-19. Jewellers, opticians and property dealers have also decided to close their establishment for two days.